Alchemist Academy: Book 2 by Matt Ryan

Jackie squeezed between the two front seats and I wondered if she would grab the wheel and turn the car around herself. “I have a couple of stones left, and I think Mark still has one. We can take them.”
    Wes gripped the wheel and twisted, creating a rubbing sound. “Kylie?” he asked.
    “I only saw two of them,” I added, staring out the back window. The gas station had disappeared as we crested over a small hill.
    “Maybe the teachers can help us?” David said.
    “Dammit,” Wes said.
    The car skidded to a near stop and we doubled back. The engine roared, and I turned to face the front windshield. The dark gas station came into view, but it looked deserted.
    “Drive around the building. She might be in the back.” Jackie hovered near the front seats and then switched to the side window as we passed around the gas station. My heart sank. I’d allowed this to happen.
    “Where did they go?” Wes asked.
    After making a complete circle around the gas station, he parked near the front door.
    I followed Mark out of the car and it became apparent that Iggy and the men were gone.
    “Maybe they’re holed up in the store?” Kylie said.
    Jarrod stepped out with a flashlight and shone it our way. “Oh, hey. You guys stocking up tonight?” he asked in a playful manner.
    “Did you see where they took her, or which way they went?” Kylie asked.
    “Who? What are you talking about?” Jarrod said.
    Kylie took a deep breath and turned back to us. “Memory stone.” She shook her head and walked closer to me. “You must have pissed off the wrong people. Exactly who did you say was chasing you?”
    I wasn’t sure how to respond. How could I tell someone the whole truth without revealing our plans? Would they even believe it if I did?
    “The power’s out. You guys can still get whatever you want. I just hope you brought a token.” He shone the light on us. “New friends?” Jarrod asked.
    “Just go away, Jarrod,” Jackie said. “We freaking need to find Iggy. She could be a mile down the road by this point.” She looked down the dark street with her hands on her hips.
    “More than likely, they used a portal stone,” Mark said.
    I stared into the darkness. There were no lights on the horizon, and no sign of Iggy anywhere. “She’s gone.” The weight of it sank in.
    “Why would they take her?” Kylie asked.
    “She looks kind of like Allie, and she was in the center of our group when we left. I bet they assumed she was the special,” Jackie said.
    I shot her a sharp look. She needed to temper her loose tongue.
    “You’re a special?” Kylie’s eyes went wide as she whipped around to look at me.
    I shrugged. “They just wanted us because we got away from them. That’s all.” What I was didn’t matter, and now I had one more thing to add to my list. Get Iggy back. I wouldn’t be surprised if they mind-wiped her and dumped her in the Dark Academy. “I think we’d better get back to the Academy and tell them a student was kidnapped.”

 
     
     
     
    “You sure this is the right door?” I asked.
    Kylie nodded and knocked again. The sound resonated through the small hallway. If it didn’t get Wendy’s attention, it would probably wake up all the rest of the teachers who were sleeping.
    Jackie walked up to the door and kicked it three solid times. “That should wake the comatose hag.”
    A faint rustling sounded from within the room and I took a step back as the door slid open. A sleepy-eyed Wendy stood at the door, dressed in white pajamas. She looked flummoxed at the group of people standing in the hallway. “Do you know what hour it is?” she asked with a bit of morning rasp in her voice.
    We flooded her at all once with our information.
    “Wait. What are you saying? One at a time, please. Someone was kidnapped?” The glazed look left her wide eyes.
    “We left the Academy and went to a gas station nearby. Iggy was kidnapped,” Kylie said.
    Wendy shook her head in disbelief. She grabbed